When the third season was in production, it was heavily publicized that it would involve inter-dimensional travel and meeting other Spider-Men. In truth, most of the season was pretty standard adventures that we'd seen in the first two: your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man fighting evil on a regular basis, sometimes by himself, and sometimes alongside other Marvel heroes (and even Disney's Jessie). There were some new angles involving new youth heroes popping up like Squirrel Girl or Cloak and Dagger, but most of it wasn't that different. These four episodes finally give us what was promised.
In the wreckage of the old SHIELD helicarrier, the Green Goblin uses Electro to open up an inter-dimensional portal so that he can gather the DNA from the Spider-Man in each universe, and Spidey-Prime has to go after him in hopes of protecting his counterparts. In contrast to the show's usual format, each episode shows us two of these alternate dimensions.
Part 1
Spider-Man 2099: This part's done in 3D computer animation. It looks cool, and it's great to see 2099 animated and teaming up with the regular Spider-Man.
Spider-Girl: A gender-flipped universe where all the male characters are female. In an interesting twist, this female Green Goblin hadn't mutated like the show's usual Goblin had. After getting what he needs, Norman gives his formula to Norma, allowing her to mutate like him, and both Peter and Petra have to take him down.
Part 2
Spider-Man Noir: The entire universe is in black and white, Spider-Man talks like a Sin City narrator while other characters like J Jonah Jameson and Mary Jane have that fast-talking lingo befitting news reporters of the era. Goblin and Spidey are the only characters with any hint of color, being from another dimension.
Spider-Ham: In complete contrast to the previous world, this one is bright and colorful in a cartoony style. You even get to see the other animal Avengers briefly, which is fun.
Part 3
Spider-Knight: A sepia-toned medieval world. The Spyder's armor looks really cool, and I think he and Thor would get along nicely. Turns out he was voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes, from the 90s cartoon, which is awesome. Spidey fights alongside him against both the Goblin and the Alchemist (Doctor Octopus of this world). When the fight against Ock's Kraken takes too long, the Spyder finds the universe's Stephen Strange to send him back through the dimensions.
Miles Morales: This is the universe I think people were most eager to see. Peter Parker died in this one and the costume was taken up by a new kid, and he's voiced by Donald Glover from Community. It's a perfect fit. Goblin's able to learn Spider-Man's identity after seeing Peter Parker's gravestone.
Part 4
We're back to standard episode format and back in Spidey's home dimension. He tracks Goblin down back to the helicarrier, and he has injected himself with the DNA of the other Spider-Men, enhancing his own abilities and mutating further into Spider-Goblin. Fortunately, Electro's fed up of being used all this time, and opens the portal to bring the other Spider-Men here, finally bringing together the titular Web Warriors. It's a cool fight, but even the other Spider-Men don't have enough power to defeat Spider-Goblin. However, they manage to hold him down long enough for Electro to reverse the charge of Goblin's serum, and turn him back into Norman Osborn. Then Electro gets free, and with the power of the Siege Perilous, takes control of the helicarrier, and transformers it into a robot mech. Things look hopeless, but just as he pepped up and helped the other Spider-Men, they return the favor. The Web Warriors work together in a fight through New York City until Electro sets the helicarrier to self destruct. While the others continue to fight Electro, Spider-Girl and Spider-Ham get inside it to deactivate it. Failing to do so, they regain control of it and set it flying into the sky where it blows up out of harm's way. Spidey finally manages to take down Electro with some gold old Peter Parker ingenuity. The remaining power of the Siege Perilous is enough to send the others home, who bid a fond farewell to our Spider-Man. It turns out Norman Osborn has no memories of his Green Goblin persona or Spider-Man's identity (or does he?). The episode ends on the new SHIELD helicarrier, as Spidey tells his story to Nick Fury, who again congratulates him on a job well done before he swings off.
These episodes are a lot of fun, and should be satisfying even if you're not a fan of the show. I'm partially reminded of the last two episodes of the 90s Spider-Man series, which also involved universe-hopping and alternate Spider-Men. A big difference is that each Spider-Man in these universes has a different design and voice. Probably a smart move to keep the story arc limited to these four episodes rather than all season. Giving each episode its own universe probably would have been good too, but keeping these to half an episode does prevent them from getting too padded, and I'm ultimately satisfied. The only thing that could have made it better is if Josh Keaton was voicing one of the alternate Spider-Men. Drake Bell does a great job, and as stated before, so does Donald Glover. I'd be perfectly content if the show ended here, since it is definitely a high note on what I consider an underrated series.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Star Trek Recommendations: The Best Of Spock
Last week, many were saddened to learn that Leonard Nimoy, best known for playing Mr. Spock in the original Star Trek series, had passed away at the age of 83. Although I my first and fondest memories were from The Next Generation, when it came to the original series, Spock was still my favorite character. The most interesting crew members in any Trek series are often the non-human characters, the outsiders looking in. Spock was where it all started, paving the way for more great characters like Next Generation's Data, Deep Space Nine's Odo, Voyager's EMH, and to a lesser extent Enterprise's Phlox. They all find their own humanity and embrace it, and show that even if you're different than everyone else, you still have a place in society.
I've decided to take a moment and look at some highlights from Nimoy's performances throughout Star Trek, both in the Original Series and afterwards.
The Naked Time
A strange plague is spreading throughout the Enterprise, causing infected crewmen's personalities to do a 180. It's notable because when Spock is infected, he makes a desperate attempt to fight against it and maintain his composure, only to break down sobbing when his logic fails him. I believe it's the first moment outside of the pilots where we see him give into emotion.
The Menagerie
Christopher Pike, Spock and the Enterprise's former Commanding Officer, suffered severe radiation poisoning to save a group of cadets from the same fate. As a result he's completely paralyzed and confined to a beeping chair. Recounting the events of The Cage, Spock commandeers the Enterprise in order to return Captain Pike to Talos IV, home to an alien race who's illusory abilities are so powerful, that Pike could live out the remainder of his life as if he was healed. However, first contact with the Talosians convinced Starfleet that Talos IV was off-limits, and returning there would constitute the death penalty. Spock is put on trial for his actions, and he pleads for his life and Pike's well-being with footage from the pilot episode. His loyalty to his former Captain is really quite touching, especially since it predates his own friendship with Kirk and McCoy.
This Side Of Paradise
The Enterprise is sent to a planet to assist a colony they expected to have died out long ago, only to find that they're all alive and healthy. Among them is an old flame of Spock's, their relationship having failed by his inability to express emotion. The reason for their health and euphoria is exposure to some unusual plant spores, and when Spock is afflicted, he suddenly finds himself capable of happiness and love. The spores find their way onto the Enterprise and begin spreading to the crew, all of which abandon ship to live in the colony. The only way to break free is anger, which Kirk manages to pull out of Spock. Nimoy puts in a fantastic performance, and it must have been refreshing for him to break out the usual stoic routine.
The Galileo Seven
Spock is leading an away mission when their shuttlecraft crashes onto an unknown planet. His leadership style puts him at odds with the rest of the landing party and he is faced with some difficult choices to get the shuttle working again and keep them alive until the Enterprise can rescue them.
Court Martial
When Kirk's actions during a crisis mismatch with the computer logs of the incident, he is placed on trial to prove his innocence in order to keep his command. Although the episode is centered on the Captain, Spock plays a crucial role when he discovers he is able to beat the computer at chess. At best, he should have only been able to reach a stalemate, revealing that the ship's computer has been tampered with, throwing it's testimony into question and proving that it was all a set-up by the officer who had allegedly died during the crisis.
Amok Time
Spock's blood is burning from Pon Farr and it's driving him mad, so it's time for him to return to Vulcan in order to reunite with his fiancee and consummate, or he will die. However, when T'Pring refuses him he has to fight to the death for her hand...against his own Captain. Not only is this another great performance from Nimoy, it features one of the best musical pieces ever to come out of classic Star Trek. And I can't help but smile with Spock when he discovers he didn't kill Kirk after all.
Journey To Babel
This episode introduces Spock's parents; Ambassador Sarek and his human wife Amanda. Spock and Sarek had a bit of a falling out after Spock joined Starfleet instead of enrolling at the Vulcan Science Academy. The two of them nonetheless reconnect by the end of the episode, and it's nice to see. The rest of the episode involves diplomats being murdered by a spy aboard the Enterprise.
The Enterprise Incident
Kirk's irrational streak places the Enterprise smack dab in the middle of the Romulan Neutral Zone. The ship is quickly ambushed by the Romulans and held hostage. Spock seemingly betrays Kirk and kills him with the Vulcan Death Grip, and subtly seduces the beautiful Romulan commander. As it turns out, it was all a ruse so Starfleet could get their hands on a cloaking device.
The Tholian Web
When Captain Kirk vanishes along with a derelict Federation Starship, he is nearly presumed dead and Spock has to take command. As with The Galileo Seven, several of his decisions put him at odds with McCoy.
All Our Yesterdays
The Enterprise is sent to assist in the evacuation of a planet whose star is about to go nova. They're surprised to find the planet already evacuated, with the exception of the librarian Atoz, who has been sending the populace through time in order to save them. He sends Kirk to what looks like the Victorian era, while Spock and Dr. McCoy are send to the ice age. While there, Spock's logic begins to fail him, and primitive survival instincts kick in. He eats meat (Vulcans are typically a vegetarian species), and grows close to a cave woman who was sent there by Atoz. But since they weren't prepped for their journey, our heroes have a short window to return to their own time. It's another episode where we see Spock outside of his element, and appropriately for the penultimate episode of the Original Series.
Yesteryear
In this animated episode, Spock must use the Guardian of Forever to travel back in time to his youth and save his own life during his kahs-wan maturity test. While he succeeds in saving his younger self, another life his still lost. Spock's family pet sehlat I-Chaya is poisoned saving the boy from a le-matya, and brings a healer out to the desert. However, I-Chaya is too far gone, and the young Spock makes the hard choice of having him put to sleep. It's a great performance from Nimoy, and a powerful look into Spock's childhood, as we see firsthand his hardships as a half-human growing up on Vulcan. There's also a very poignant quote that seems appropriate in light of Nimoy's passing. "Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned but only if the life was wasted."
The Slaver Weapon
An unusual animated episode in that Kirk and the Enterprise are nowhere to be found. It instead focuses on Spock, Sulu, and Uhura as they try to keep an ancient weapon away from a crew of Kzinti pirates. It still stands out as a great adaptation of a science fiction short story.
The Pirates Of Orion
Spock comes down with an illness, easily treated for humans but fatal to Vulcans. The Enterprise attempts a rendezvous with another Starship for the cure, only for it to be pillaged by a crew of Orion pirates. Kirk makes every attempt to retrieve the drug and save his First Officer.
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
No list of Star Trek recommendations would be complete without this movie. Amazing music and imagery, and a heroic sacrifice by Spock in order to save the Enterprise from a Genesis explosion. Spock's death scene and subsequent funeral hit all the right notes and make this film stand out above all the others.
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
Taking place right where the previous film left off, Kirk and the crew steal back the Enterprise and return to the Genesis Planet, where Spock's body against all odds has regenerated, while his consciousness is trapped inside Dr. McCoy. Nimoy himself isn't in the movie much until the very end, but was instead makes his directorial debut here, and he delivers. Just as Spock's death in the previous movie will bring you to tears, so will the destruction of the Enterprise and David's death, but all is made well when Spock returns to life and reunites with his friends and shipmates.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Rounding out the trilogy, the crew travels back in time to the 20th century to save humpback whales from extinction so they can communicate with a probe disabling Earth technology. Nimoy's directing again is wonderful and out of all the movies, this comes closest to replicating the tone of the Original Series, with a mixture of drama, humor, and heart. Despite his resurrection, Spock's not quite the man he used to be just yet, and over the course of the movie, has to reconnect to his human side.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
When their moon blows up, the Klingons are left in a difficult position, and must find a way to end their conflict with the Federation. Kirk is hesitant (especially after his own son's death), but Spock sees it as a necessity. Negotiations are tense, but the Klingon Chancellor seems hopeful and wins Kirk over to some degree. However, all of this is jeopardized when the Chancellor's ship is fired upon, seemingly by the Enterprise. The Chancellor dies, and Kirk and McCoy are arrested and sentenced to life on the frozen mining world of Rura Penthe. Spock remains in command of the Enterprise and investigates the assassination. It's revealed that his own protegee, Lieutenant Valeris, was among the conspirators, a joint effort between Klingons and Starfleet officers (Section 31 maybe?) to keep the conflict going.
Reunification
This two-part episode of The Next Generation involves Ambassador Spock's attempts to encourage peace between the Romulans and Vulcans due to their common ancestry. However, since his mission is not authorized by the Federation, there are concerns that Spock has gone rogue and defected to the Romulan Star Empire. Captain Picard and Commander Data infiltrate Romulus and meet up with Spock. This episode also marked the death of Sarek, and has some powerful interactions between Picard and Spock as they remember him.
Star Trek
Say what you will about the new films. I personally enjoy them. They're a great way to introduce Star Trek to a new audience. Leonard Nimoy returns as Spock Prime, passing the torch from the old universe to this new alternate reality. His scenes are one of the biggest highlights of the movie, particularly when he meets his alternate self. It feels like a great cap to his character. Nimoy gets one final scene in Star Trek Into Darkness, which was somewhat superfluous, but still very much appreciated.
Star Trek Online
Spock narrates the tutorial section in this online role-playing game, still set in the Prime universe after the events that led to the destruction of Romulus, and Spock and Nero being sent to the alternate past. Nimoy's narrations can also be heard whenever the player enters a new sector block. After the announcement of Nimoy's death, players have gathered around the fountain on Vulcan and held a vigil in his memory. The developers will be adding an official memorial to the game in the coming days, paying respects to both the character and the man.
Non-Canonical Material
Spock vs. Q
Leonard Nimoy and John DeLancie engage in an in-character battle of wits in two live audio recordings, and it is hilarious.
Futurama
Leonard Nimoy's head appears in verious episodes of the series. Most notable is "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" which pays tribute to Star Trek and reunites Nimoy with most of his original castmates. A must-see for any fan of either series.
Leonard Nimoy's albums
You might be surprised that Nimoy was actually a very good singer. And in addition to singing some popular songs of the era, he has several songs where he's in character as Commander Spock analyzing humanity. "Highly Illogical" does it humorously, while the "Visit to a Sad Planet" gives a poignant spoken word monologue that could have been the teaser sequence for a classic Star Trek episode. I personally can't help but love those pieces as well as the "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" recounting the events of The Hobbit.
The Big Bang Theory
There's an episode where Penny buys old toy transporters for Leonard and Sheldon, and both are hesitant to play with them because they're mint in box. Sheldon is convinced to play with his by a dream sequence where his Spock action figure (voiced by Nimoy) talks to him, and then belittles him after he breaks his and replaces it with Leonard's unbroken one.
It's difficult to express in full the impact both Spock and Leonard Nimoy had on his friends, family, and fans, but the world was undoubtedly made a better and more logical place thanks to him.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
-Leonard Nimoy, 1931-2015
I've decided to take a moment and look at some highlights from Nimoy's performances throughout Star Trek, both in the Original Series and afterwards.
The Naked Time
A strange plague is spreading throughout the Enterprise, causing infected crewmen's personalities to do a 180. It's notable because when Spock is infected, he makes a desperate attempt to fight against it and maintain his composure, only to break down sobbing when his logic fails him. I believe it's the first moment outside of the pilots where we see him give into emotion.
The Menagerie
Christopher Pike, Spock and the Enterprise's former Commanding Officer, suffered severe radiation poisoning to save a group of cadets from the same fate. As a result he's completely paralyzed and confined to a beeping chair. Recounting the events of The Cage, Spock commandeers the Enterprise in order to return Captain Pike to Talos IV, home to an alien race who's illusory abilities are so powerful, that Pike could live out the remainder of his life as if he was healed. However, first contact with the Talosians convinced Starfleet that Talos IV was off-limits, and returning there would constitute the death penalty. Spock is put on trial for his actions, and he pleads for his life and Pike's well-being with footage from the pilot episode. His loyalty to his former Captain is really quite touching, especially since it predates his own friendship with Kirk and McCoy.
This Side Of Paradise
The Enterprise is sent to a planet to assist a colony they expected to have died out long ago, only to find that they're all alive and healthy. Among them is an old flame of Spock's, their relationship having failed by his inability to express emotion. The reason for their health and euphoria is exposure to some unusual plant spores, and when Spock is afflicted, he suddenly finds himself capable of happiness and love. The spores find their way onto the Enterprise and begin spreading to the crew, all of which abandon ship to live in the colony. The only way to break free is anger, which Kirk manages to pull out of Spock. Nimoy puts in a fantastic performance, and it must have been refreshing for him to break out the usual stoic routine.
The Galileo Seven
Spock is leading an away mission when their shuttlecraft crashes onto an unknown planet. His leadership style puts him at odds with the rest of the landing party and he is faced with some difficult choices to get the shuttle working again and keep them alive until the Enterprise can rescue them.
Court Martial
When Kirk's actions during a crisis mismatch with the computer logs of the incident, he is placed on trial to prove his innocence in order to keep his command. Although the episode is centered on the Captain, Spock plays a crucial role when he discovers he is able to beat the computer at chess. At best, he should have only been able to reach a stalemate, revealing that the ship's computer has been tampered with, throwing it's testimony into question and proving that it was all a set-up by the officer who had allegedly died during the crisis.
Amok Time
Spock's blood is burning from Pon Farr and it's driving him mad, so it's time for him to return to Vulcan in order to reunite with his fiancee and consummate, or he will die. However, when T'Pring refuses him he has to fight to the death for her hand...against his own Captain. Not only is this another great performance from Nimoy, it features one of the best musical pieces ever to come out of classic Star Trek. And I can't help but smile with Spock when he discovers he didn't kill Kirk after all.
Journey To Babel
This episode introduces Spock's parents; Ambassador Sarek and his human wife Amanda. Spock and Sarek had a bit of a falling out after Spock joined Starfleet instead of enrolling at the Vulcan Science Academy. The two of them nonetheless reconnect by the end of the episode, and it's nice to see. The rest of the episode involves diplomats being murdered by a spy aboard the Enterprise.
The Enterprise Incident
Kirk's irrational streak places the Enterprise smack dab in the middle of the Romulan Neutral Zone. The ship is quickly ambushed by the Romulans and held hostage. Spock seemingly betrays Kirk and kills him with the Vulcan Death Grip, and subtly seduces the beautiful Romulan commander. As it turns out, it was all a ruse so Starfleet could get their hands on a cloaking device.
The Tholian Web
When Captain Kirk vanishes along with a derelict Federation Starship, he is nearly presumed dead and Spock has to take command. As with The Galileo Seven, several of his decisions put him at odds with McCoy.
All Our Yesterdays
The Enterprise is sent to assist in the evacuation of a planet whose star is about to go nova. They're surprised to find the planet already evacuated, with the exception of the librarian Atoz, who has been sending the populace through time in order to save them. He sends Kirk to what looks like the Victorian era, while Spock and Dr. McCoy are send to the ice age. While there, Spock's logic begins to fail him, and primitive survival instincts kick in. He eats meat (Vulcans are typically a vegetarian species), and grows close to a cave woman who was sent there by Atoz. But since they weren't prepped for their journey, our heroes have a short window to return to their own time. It's another episode where we see Spock outside of his element, and appropriately for the penultimate episode of the Original Series.
Yesteryear
In this animated episode, Spock must use the Guardian of Forever to travel back in time to his youth and save his own life during his kahs-wan maturity test. While he succeeds in saving his younger self, another life his still lost. Spock's family pet sehlat I-Chaya is poisoned saving the boy from a le-matya, and brings a healer out to the desert. However, I-Chaya is too far gone, and the young Spock makes the hard choice of having him put to sleep. It's a great performance from Nimoy, and a powerful look into Spock's childhood, as we see firsthand his hardships as a half-human growing up on Vulcan. There's also a very poignant quote that seems appropriate in light of Nimoy's passing. "Every life comes to an end when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned but only if the life was wasted."
The Slaver Weapon
An unusual animated episode in that Kirk and the Enterprise are nowhere to be found. It instead focuses on Spock, Sulu, and Uhura as they try to keep an ancient weapon away from a crew of Kzinti pirates. It still stands out as a great adaptation of a science fiction short story.
The Pirates Of Orion
Spock comes down with an illness, easily treated for humans but fatal to Vulcans. The Enterprise attempts a rendezvous with another Starship for the cure, only for it to be pillaged by a crew of Orion pirates. Kirk makes every attempt to retrieve the drug and save his First Officer.
Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
No list of Star Trek recommendations would be complete without this movie. Amazing music and imagery, and a heroic sacrifice by Spock in order to save the Enterprise from a Genesis explosion. Spock's death scene and subsequent funeral hit all the right notes and make this film stand out above all the others.
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
Taking place right where the previous film left off, Kirk and the crew steal back the Enterprise and return to the Genesis Planet, where Spock's body against all odds has regenerated, while his consciousness is trapped inside Dr. McCoy. Nimoy himself isn't in the movie much until the very end, but was instead makes his directorial debut here, and he delivers. Just as Spock's death in the previous movie will bring you to tears, so will the destruction of the Enterprise and David's death, but all is made well when Spock returns to life and reunites with his friends and shipmates.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Rounding out the trilogy, the crew travels back in time to the 20th century to save humpback whales from extinction so they can communicate with a probe disabling Earth technology. Nimoy's directing again is wonderful and out of all the movies, this comes closest to replicating the tone of the Original Series, with a mixture of drama, humor, and heart. Despite his resurrection, Spock's not quite the man he used to be just yet, and over the course of the movie, has to reconnect to his human side.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
When their moon blows up, the Klingons are left in a difficult position, and must find a way to end their conflict with the Federation. Kirk is hesitant (especially after his own son's death), but Spock sees it as a necessity. Negotiations are tense, but the Klingon Chancellor seems hopeful and wins Kirk over to some degree. However, all of this is jeopardized when the Chancellor's ship is fired upon, seemingly by the Enterprise. The Chancellor dies, and Kirk and McCoy are arrested and sentenced to life on the frozen mining world of Rura Penthe. Spock remains in command of the Enterprise and investigates the assassination. It's revealed that his own protegee, Lieutenant Valeris, was among the conspirators, a joint effort between Klingons and Starfleet officers (Section 31 maybe?) to keep the conflict going.
Reunification
This two-part episode of The Next Generation involves Ambassador Spock's attempts to encourage peace between the Romulans and Vulcans due to their common ancestry. However, since his mission is not authorized by the Federation, there are concerns that Spock has gone rogue and defected to the Romulan Star Empire. Captain Picard and Commander Data infiltrate Romulus and meet up with Spock. This episode also marked the death of Sarek, and has some powerful interactions between Picard and Spock as they remember him.
Star Trek
Say what you will about the new films. I personally enjoy them. They're a great way to introduce Star Trek to a new audience. Leonard Nimoy returns as Spock Prime, passing the torch from the old universe to this new alternate reality. His scenes are one of the biggest highlights of the movie, particularly when he meets his alternate self. It feels like a great cap to his character. Nimoy gets one final scene in Star Trek Into Darkness, which was somewhat superfluous, but still very much appreciated.
Star Trek Online
Spock narrates the tutorial section in this online role-playing game, still set in the Prime universe after the events that led to the destruction of Romulus, and Spock and Nero being sent to the alternate past. Nimoy's narrations can also be heard whenever the player enters a new sector block. After the announcement of Nimoy's death, players have gathered around the fountain on Vulcan and held a vigil in his memory. The developers will be adding an official memorial to the game in the coming days, paying respects to both the character and the man.
Non-Canonical Material
Spock vs. Q
Leonard Nimoy and John DeLancie engage in an in-character battle of wits in two live audio recordings, and it is hilarious.
Futurama
Leonard Nimoy's head appears in verious episodes of the series. Most notable is "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" which pays tribute to Star Trek and reunites Nimoy with most of his original castmates. A must-see for any fan of either series.
Leonard Nimoy's albums
You might be surprised that Nimoy was actually a very good singer. And in addition to singing some popular songs of the era, he has several songs where he's in character as Commander Spock analyzing humanity. "Highly Illogical" does it humorously, while the "Visit to a Sad Planet" gives a poignant spoken word monologue that could have been the teaser sequence for a classic Star Trek episode. I personally can't help but love those pieces as well as the "Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" recounting the events of The Hobbit.
The Big Bang Theory
There's an episode where Penny buys old toy transporters for Leonard and Sheldon, and both are hesitant to play with them because they're mint in box. Sheldon is convinced to play with his by a dream sequence where his Spock action figure (voiced by Nimoy) talks to him, and then belittles him after he breaks his and replaces it with Leonard's unbroken one.
It's difficult to express in full the impact both Spock and Leonard Nimoy had on his friends, family, and fans, but the world was undoubtedly made a better and more logical place thanks to him.
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory."
-Leonard Nimoy, 1931-2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water
It's been maybe 10 years since the first SpongeBob SquarePants Movie was out in theatres. It had some good laughs in there, but some of the tone of the film was a bit off. This new film, however, manages to completely outdo the first and deliver enough laughs to satisfy all the way through.
The story is told to us by a pirate named Burger Beard, reading to some talking seagulls from a library book he stole from a deserted island. It begins at the Krusty Krab where Plankton is once again trying to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula, attempting to swap it with a rude note in a bottle after an elaborate distraction involving a plane, tank, and a robot. While struggling over it with Spongebob, the formula mysteriously disappears. To make matters worse, the restaurant is completely out of Krabby Patties. (Why Mr. Krabs can't even remembers his own recipe is never brought up.) Bikini Bottom erupts into chaos and leather, and Spongebob has to team up with a reluctant Plankton to try and find the formula and bring it back.
Burger Beard tries to end the story there, writing THE END on the book, but the seagulls convince him to keep reading under protest. The page is torn out of the book and lands on Sandy's tree dome.
They build a time machine out of Plankton's computer-wife Karen and a photo booth, accidentally visit the future first, and then go back in time to right before the Krabby Patty formula disappeared. They seem to grab the bottle and return to the present, only to find it's the note Plankton was replacing the formula with. The Patty shortage and page on her tree dome drove Sandy mad, believing the town must make a sacrifice to appease the Sandwich Gods. Spongebob is about to become that sacrifice when he smells Krabby Patties. Everybody follows Spongebob's nose until the trail leads to the surface, at which point all ancillary characters turn back.
Under normal circumstances, our underwater friends would dry up once they reach the surface. Fortunately for them, Bubbles shows up, a dolphin Spongebob and Plankton met in the future, who grants them the ability to breathe on land. This is where the film switches to the publicized live-action footage mixed with 3D animation, (approximate one hour into the movie), and it's revealed that Burger Beard used the magic book to steal the formula so he could sell Krabby Patties from his pirate ship/food truck. He then uses the book to banish Spongebob and the others to Pelican Island.
Luckily, Sandy brought the page of the book with them. Spongebob grabs a feather off one of the surrounding birds, and a nervous Squidward provides the ink, allowing Spongebob to write on the page and transform them into superheroes. Finally, we're treated to all the scenes we get to see in the trailers, as our heroes fight off Burger Beard through the streets. Squidward shoots sound waves from his Clarinet, Spongebob can blow bubbles to great effect, Mr. Krabs is a robot, Patrick can control ice cream, and Sandy is a giant realistic squirrel (wisely left out of any commercials for the movie). The book is destroyed on Burger Beard's grill, but he still manages to subdue the heroes...until a hulking but still tiny-headed Plankton shows up and shakes him down. Plankton, having learned the value of teamwork, gives the formula back to Mr. Krabs and give the page to Spongebob, who writes everybody back home to Bikini Bottom (letting Squidward keep his rock-hard abs).
So the Krusty Krab is back in business, Plankton's back to trying to get the formula, and everything is as it was before. Burger Beard, now neck-deep in sand on what was likely the same desert island from before, relents and lets the seagulls finish singing the theme song...only to be interrupted by Bubbles for a rap battle...and then finish singing the theme song.
Even if you think the TV series isn't as good as it used to be, this movie has everything you loved about the show and more. It's great just how much was left out of the trailers, which concentrated on showing the live-action/3D bits. And while the cartoon characters and live-action setting are integrated wonderfully, it's the 2D animation that takes up a bulk of the story and really stands out. The backgrounds look amazing, and the motion of the characters is extremely fluid. I liked how the framing device with the pirate and the seagulls was integrated into the story instead of simply book-ending it, and it's really funny seeing Antonio Banderas as Burger Beard, once you realize it's him. And of course, the voice actors are top notch. Props to Tom Kenny, Jeff Bennett, and everyone else who was involved. Sponge Out Of Water should remind you just how fun this show is/was, and is likely to leave you smiling by the end.
The story is told to us by a pirate named Burger Beard, reading to some talking seagulls from a library book he stole from a deserted island. It begins at the Krusty Krab where Plankton is once again trying to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula, attempting to swap it with a rude note in a bottle after an elaborate distraction involving a plane, tank, and a robot. While struggling over it with Spongebob, the formula mysteriously disappears. To make matters worse, the restaurant is completely out of Krabby Patties. (Why Mr. Krabs can't even remembers his own recipe is never brought up.) Bikini Bottom erupts into chaos and leather, and Spongebob has to team up with a reluctant Plankton to try and find the formula and bring it back.
Burger Beard tries to end the story there, writing THE END on the book, but the seagulls convince him to keep reading under protest. The page is torn out of the book and lands on Sandy's tree dome.
They build a time machine out of Plankton's computer-wife Karen and a photo booth, accidentally visit the future first, and then go back in time to right before the Krabby Patty formula disappeared. They seem to grab the bottle and return to the present, only to find it's the note Plankton was replacing the formula with. The Patty shortage and page on her tree dome drove Sandy mad, believing the town must make a sacrifice to appease the Sandwich Gods. Spongebob is about to become that sacrifice when he smells Krabby Patties. Everybody follows Spongebob's nose until the trail leads to the surface, at which point all ancillary characters turn back.
Under normal circumstances, our underwater friends would dry up once they reach the surface. Fortunately for them, Bubbles shows up, a dolphin Spongebob and Plankton met in the future, who grants them the ability to breathe on land. This is where the film switches to the publicized live-action footage mixed with 3D animation, (approximate one hour into the movie), and it's revealed that Burger Beard used the magic book to steal the formula so he could sell Krabby Patties from his pirate ship/food truck. He then uses the book to banish Spongebob and the others to Pelican Island.
Luckily, Sandy brought the page of the book with them. Spongebob grabs a feather off one of the surrounding birds, and a nervous Squidward provides the ink, allowing Spongebob to write on the page and transform them into superheroes. Finally, we're treated to all the scenes we get to see in the trailers, as our heroes fight off Burger Beard through the streets. Squidward shoots sound waves from his Clarinet, Spongebob can blow bubbles to great effect, Mr. Krabs is a robot, Patrick can control ice cream, and Sandy is a giant realistic squirrel (wisely left out of any commercials for the movie). The book is destroyed on Burger Beard's grill, but he still manages to subdue the heroes...until a hulking but still tiny-headed Plankton shows up and shakes him down. Plankton, having learned the value of teamwork, gives the formula back to Mr. Krabs and give the page to Spongebob, who writes everybody back home to Bikini Bottom (letting Squidward keep his rock-hard abs).
So the Krusty Krab is back in business, Plankton's back to trying to get the formula, and everything is as it was before. Burger Beard, now neck-deep in sand on what was likely the same desert island from before, relents and lets the seagulls finish singing the theme song...only to be interrupted by Bubbles for a rap battle...and then finish singing the theme song.
Even if you think the TV series isn't as good as it used to be, this movie has everything you loved about the show and more. It's great just how much was left out of the trailers, which concentrated on showing the live-action/3D bits. And while the cartoon characters and live-action setting are integrated wonderfully, it's the 2D animation that takes up a bulk of the story and really stands out. The backgrounds look amazing, and the motion of the characters is extremely fluid. I liked how the framing device with the pirate and the seagulls was integrated into the story instead of simply book-ending it, and it's really funny seeing Antonio Banderas as Burger Beard, once you realize it's him. And of course, the voice actors are top notch. Props to Tom Kenny, Jeff Bennett, and everyone else who was involved. Sponge Out Of Water should remind you just how fun this show is/was, and is likely to leave you smiling by the end.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Power Rangers Dino Charge- Powers From The Past
A new season begins, and we're looking at dinosaurs for the third time in the franchise. We begin on the ship of an alien bounty hunter named Sledge. He looks vaguely like a cross between a Judoon and a Predator, a neat look for a seemingly original villain (no Japanese suit counterpart). He and his bright pink fiancee Poisandra are in pursuit of another ship. This ship belongs to the Keeper, and is shot down onto a prehistoric Earth.
Cue theme song. There's a tribal rhythm to get it going, and some actual lyrics beyond the Go Go Power Rangers chorus, something we haven't really had since Jungle Fury. Also, our heroes aren't shouting their names as soon as they pop up in the credits, which has been an unnecessary staple of the Nickelodeon era. It's nice to see that come to a halt, and for the composer to come up with something original again. My favorite part of the intro is towards the end where the Rangers are seemingly doing their roll call poses while the background behind them changes, cut to sync with the music. Each shot is likely taken from different points in the source material, and the Rangers' movements are seamless.
Back to the show, the Keeper has survived his crash to Earth, and is greeted by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Convincing the T-Rex he's of no threat, he asks it to gather the planet's bravest together to protect his Energems. Sledge is after these powerful stones, and has sent his lackey Fury to retrieve them from the crash. Fury finds the Keeper playing dead, is about to finish the job, when he spots the Energem casing and takes it back to his master. Sledge's bounty includes several monsters, who I'm sure will pop up later in the series, as well as a large collection of asteroids, a hobby Poisandra does not approve of. Upon arrival, it's revealed that the Keeper has emptied it and replaced the contents of the casing with a bomb. Sledge's ship promptly blows up, and as he swears revenge on the Keeper from his escape pod, his asteroids are sent straight towards Earth.
Before they land, the Keeper is able to infuse the powers of his Energems into the dinosaurs the T-Rex gathered before him. Fury has managed to survive Sledge's ship, ends up back on Earth and confronts the Keeper. Surprisingly enough, Keeper actually puts up a fight but is nonetheless defeated. Fury is about to finish the job, when the asteroids land on Earth and cause the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Approximately 65 million years later, we're at a museum where a tour guide is lecturing about the dinosaurs. Among the museum patrons is Tyler Navarro. He's looking over the dinosaurs and the volcanic caves that a fossil was discovered in, Samson Caves. He asks a janitor, Chase Randall, for directions, who gladly provides them.
Chase heads for the museum's dino-themed restaurant, where Shelby Watkins is working. She delivers an order to the wrong table and then runs after Chase. There seems to be a mutual attraction between them, and she really wants to go on an archeological dig with the museum crew. She's turned down by the bespectacled Kendall Morgan, who seems to be in charge, due to museum policy. Also going on the expedition is Koda, who keeps his uniforms sleeveless. He doesn't say much and acts a bit like a monkey. (Fun fact: Koda's actor, Yoshi Sudarso, is a long-time fan of the show, and in past seasons has worked as a stunt double for fight scenes and live events, and now living the dream getting to play a real character on the series.) Shelby stows away on the expedition anyway.
Tyler arrives to the cave Chase mentioned and goes spelunking inside. A creatue in a cloak suddenlys tarts chasing him, but he conceals himself by dousing his headlight. He then discovers a dinosaur fossil and the red Energem, which he promptly takes.
Back at the expedition, the cloaked figure steals a box from the truck Shelby was stowing away in. When nobody can hear her shouts about the theft, she runs after him herself. She grabs the box back from him when he's not looking and is shot down by the creature. Fortunately for her, Tyler swings in on a rope and grabs the box. The monster throws off his cloak, revealing an icy design, and fires on them. Tyler reflects the blasts with a shovel, but since it's just a regular shovel, it doesn't last long, and another blast knocks them over. The crate falls open revealing the pink Energem, as well as causing Tyler to drop his own red one. As they reach for them the monster fires another blast at the two, causing them to freeze.
However, they managed to touch the Energems, allowing them to unfreeze. They see a vision of their dinosaurs, and two blasters be revealed. Tyler and Shelby put the Energems into the blasters, which turn yellow. They spin the revolver and fire their blasters, but instead of just shooting the monster, the blast comes back to them and morphs them into the Red and Pink Rangers respectively. We then get our first Ranger fight scene, and they do a pretty good job before the T-Rex Zord shows up, picks the monster up with his teeth and flings him away.
As Tyler drives Shelby back to the city, he explains his backstory: his father was a paleontologist who disappeared on an expedition. Going by his journal, it seems Fury might have something to do with his disappearance, who just happens to be following the car, hot on the trail of their Energems...
Strong start to a Power Rangers series, although that's not always an indication of what the series has in store for us. (Both halves of Megaforce had strong beginnings, but didn't have as much of a payoff as we had hoped.) Even so, this episode has a few things Megaforce and Samurai didn't really have. For starters, there's more original footage to go around. There's no scenes of the Rangers until the final few minutes, and even then, only two of them morph. It's really strange that Riley Griffin did not appear in this episode, despite being one of the core five Rangers. Despite that, it's nice to see the series actually take time to set up the premise (a good one at that) without relying to heavily on exposition, and we have a nice diverse cast so far who I look forward to watching on a weekly basis, presumably inevitable the summer hiatus doesn't last too long.
Cue theme song. There's a tribal rhythm to get it going, and some actual lyrics beyond the Go Go Power Rangers chorus, something we haven't really had since Jungle Fury. Also, our heroes aren't shouting their names as soon as they pop up in the credits, which has been an unnecessary staple of the Nickelodeon era. It's nice to see that come to a halt, and for the composer to come up with something original again. My favorite part of the intro is towards the end where the Rangers are seemingly doing their roll call poses while the background behind them changes, cut to sync with the music. Each shot is likely taken from different points in the source material, and the Rangers' movements are seamless.
Back to the show, the Keeper has survived his crash to Earth, and is greeted by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Convincing the T-Rex he's of no threat, he asks it to gather the planet's bravest together to protect his Energems. Sledge is after these powerful stones, and has sent his lackey Fury to retrieve them from the crash. Fury finds the Keeper playing dead, is about to finish the job, when he spots the Energem casing and takes it back to his master. Sledge's bounty includes several monsters, who I'm sure will pop up later in the series, as well as a large collection of asteroids, a hobby Poisandra does not approve of. Upon arrival, it's revealed that the Keeper has emptied it and replaced the contents of the casing with a bomb. Sledge's ship promptly blows up, and as he swears revenge on the Keeper from his escape pod, his asteroids are sent straight towards Earth.
Before they land, the Keeper is able to infuse the powers of his Energems into the dinosaurs the T-Rex gathered before him. Fury has managed to survive Sledge's ship, ends up back on Earth and confronts the Keeper. Surprisingly enough, Keeper actually puts up a fight but is nonetheless defeated. Fury is about to finish the job, when the asteroids land on Earth and cause the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Approximately 65 million years later, we're at a museum where a tour guide is lecturing about the dinosaurs. Among the museum patrons is Tyler Navarro. He's looking over the dinosaurs and the volcanic caves that a fossil was discovered in, Samson Caves. He asks a janitor, Chase Randall, for directions, who gladly provides them.
Chase heads for the museum's dino-themed restaurant, where Shelby Watkins is working. She delivers an order to the wrong table and then runs after Chase. There seems to be a mutual attraction between them, and she really wants to go on an archeological dig with the museum crew. She's turned down by the bespectacled Kendall Morgan, who seems to be in charge, due to museum policy. Also going on the expedition is Koda, who keeps his uniforms sleeveless. He doesn't say much and acts a bit like a monkey. (Fun fact: Koda's actor, Yoshi Sudarso, is a long-time fan of the show, and in past seasons has worked as a stunt double for fight scenes and live events, and now living the dream getting to play a real character on the series.) Shelby stows away on the expedition anyway.
Tyler arrives to the cave Chase mentioned and goes spelunking inside. A creatue in a cloak suddenlys tarts chasing him, but he conceals himself by dousing his headlight. He then discovers a dinosaur fossil and the red Energem, which he promptly takes.
Back at the expedition, the cloaked figure steals a box from the truck Shelby was stowing away in. When nobody can hear her shouts about the theft, she runs after him herself. She grabs the box back from him when he's not looking and is shot down by the creature. Fortunately for her, Tyler swings in on a rope and grabs the box. The monster throws off his cloak, revealing an icy design, and fires on them. Tyler reflects the blasts with a shovel, but since it's just a regular shovel, it doesn't last long, and another blast knocks them over. The crate falls open revealing the pink Energem, as well as causing Tyler to drop his own red one. As they reach for them the monster fires another blast at the two, causing them to freeze.
However, they managed to touch the Energems, allowing them to unfreeze. They see a vision of their dinosaurs, and two blasters be revealed. Tyler and Shelby put the Energems into the blasters, which turn yellow. They spin the revolver and fire their blasters, but instead of just shooting the monster, the blast comes back to them and morphs them into the Red and Pink Rangers respectively. We then get our first Ranger fight scene, and they do a pretty good job before the T-Rex Zord shows up, picks the monster up with his teeth and flings him away.
As Tyler drives Shelby back to the city, he explains his backstory: his father was a paleontologist who disappeared on an expedition. Going by his journal, it seems Fury might have something to do with his disappearance, who just happens to be following the car, hot on the trail of their Energems...
Strong start to a Power Rangers series, although that's not always an indication of what the series has in store for us. (Both halves of Megaforce had strong beginnings, but didn't have as much of a payoff as we had hoped.) Even so, this episode has a few things Megaforce and Samurai didn't really have. For starters, there's more original footage to go around. There's no scenes of the Rangers until the final few minutes, and even then, only two of them morph. It's really strange that Riley Griffin did not appear in this episode, despite being one of the core five Rangers. Despite that, it's nice to see the series actually take time to set up the premise (a good one at that) without relying to heavily on exposition, and we have a nice diverse cast so far who I look forward to watching on a weekly basis, presumably inevitable the summer hiatus doesn't last too long.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Star Wars Rebels- Idiot's Array
The episode begins with Kanan, Zeb, and Chopper in a bar, hoping to find some kind of job to replenish their credits and fuel supply. Zeb is playing cards with a stranger, bets Chopper when he runs out of credits, and loses. The man turns out to be yet another familiar face and voice from the films: Lando Calrissian.
Lando hires the crew of the Ghost to help him in a business transaction, promising to pay them and return Chopper to them once the job is complete. His attitude and habit of not telling them anything puts him at odds with the other Rebels, except for Sabine, who's flattered when he shows interest in her artwork (making Ezra jealous). The Ghost docks with a ship commanded by a portly alien named Azmorigan, who gives Lando a crate as part of a trade. Lando gives him Hera in exchange. Once the Ghost separates from the ship, Hera knocks out Azmorigan and a guard before making her way to an escape pod (Lando had dropped a hint about them before the transaction) and escapes back to the Ghost.
Ezra and Zeb foolishly open Lando's crate, letting out a puffer-pig, which blows up when it gets scared, and can sniff out precious minerals. Lando calls it "specialized mining equipment", and since it's not made with metal it's not detectable by Imperial sensors. Nonetheless, the Ghost need to make it past the Empire's blockade. Zeb scared the pig, unfortunately, blocking Hera from getting to the cockpit.
The Ghost's signature was cloaked successfully for a while, but then Ezra startles the pig again, it puffs up more, throws the ship's balance off, and Zeb accidentally uncloaks their rebel signature, causing the Empire to recognize them as Rebels. A chase ensues. Sabine blasts some, while Kanan manages to lose others in cloud cover.
When they arrive at Lando's farm, Azmorigan is waiting for them, intent on getting his Twi'lek back and killing Lando. A fire fight ensues, and it's confirmed that Ezra's lightsaber does in fact function as a blaster. Chopper takes advantage of the struggle to sneak a fuel canister aboard the Ghost. He then blasts Azmorigan causing him to lose his footing and Hera convinces him to back down and retreat.
The conflict over, Lando promises to pay them once the pig has sniffed out the precious minerals its capable of finding, and releases Chopper back to the crew. While it seems like the droid took the fuel out from under Lando's nose, he reveals after they leave that he was aware of it, which is why he didn't pay them. It seems to indicate that they'll cross paths again.
This is another fun episode, much like Droids In Distress was, in that it features the new characters interacting with a more familiar one. Billy Dee Williams' return is a real treat, and you're never sure just how much of this adventure was planned, and how much was made up as they went. Star Wars Rebels has continued to surprise me with just how much I enjoy it, and should hopefully alleviate a lot of the concerns about the direction the franchise has taken.
Lando hires the crew of the Ghost to help him in a business transaction, promising to pay them and return Chopper to them once the job is complete. His attitude and habit of not telling them anything puts him at odds with the other Rebels, except for Sabine, who's flattered when he shows interest in her artwork (making Ezra jealous). The Ghost docks with a ship commanded by a portly alien named Azmorigan, who gives Lando a crate as part of a trade. Lando gives him Hera in exchange. Once the Ghost separates from the ship, Hera knocks out Azmorigan and a guard before making her way to an escape pod (Lando had dropped a hint about them before the transaction) and escapes back to the Ghost.
Ezra and Zeb foolishly open Lando's crate, letting out a puffer-pig, which blows up when it gets scared, and can sniff out precious minerals. Lando calls it "specialized mining equipment", and since it's not made with metal it's not detectable by Imperial sensors. Nonetheless, the Ghost need to make it past the Empire's blockade. Zeb scared the pig, unfortunately, blocking Hera from getting to the cockpit.
The Ghost's signature was cloaked successfully for a while, but then Ezra startles the pig again, it puffs up more, throws the ship's balance off, and Zeb accidentally uncloaks their rebel signature, causing the Empire to recognize them as Rebels. A chase ensues. Sabine blasts some, while Kanan manages to lose others in cloud cover.
When they arrive at Lando's farm, Azmorigan is waiting for them, intent on getting his Twi'lek back and killing Lando. A fire fight ensues, and it's confirmed that Ezra's lightsaber does in fact function as a blaster. Chopper takes advantage of the struggle to sneak a fuel canister aboard the Ghost. He then blasts Azmorigan causing him to lose his footing and Hera convinces him to back down and retreat.
The conflict over, Lando promises to pay them once the pig has sniffed out the precious minerals its capable of finding, and releases Chopper back to the crew. While it seems like the droid took the fuel out from under Lando's nose, he reveals after they leave that he was aware of it, which is why he didn't pay them. It seems to indicate that they'll cross paths again.
This is another fun episode, much like Droids In Distress was, in that it features the new characters interacting with a more familiar one. Billy Dee Williams' return is a real treat, and you're never sure just how much of this adventure was planned, and how much was made up as they went. Star Wars Rebels has continued to surprise me with just how much I enjoy it, and should hopefully alleviate a lot of the concerns about the direction the franchise has taken.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Star Wars Rebels- Path Of The Jedi
Previously on Star Wars Rebels...
When we last left the crew of the Ghost, they had rescued an Imperial defector and helped him into hiding. Kanan and Ezra aided in their escape by diverting the Empire's attention to an abandoned Clone base on an asteroid, where a large batch of feral creatures could take on the Stormtroopers. This worked pretty well until the Inquisitor showed up, fighting his way through the creatures and taking on Kanan. Ezra managed to save him, angrily using the Force to control one of the larger creatures and sic him on the Inquisitor, which would seem to indicate prowess in the Dark Side. This has significantly spooked both Kanan and Ezra...
Concerned after what happened on the asteroid, Kanan decides to give Ezra a test to determine not only what kind of Jedi he'll be, but also if he can be a Jedi at all. There's an abandoned temple already on Lothal, which Kanan has Ezra locate using the Force. (The autopilot was already on its way there.) The entrance is sealed and can only be opened with a Force lift, something Ezra and Kanan do together. Once their inside, Ezra's spooked by the remains of two dead Jedi, and the exit closes behind them. While Kanan stays behind in the main room to meditate, Ezra continues through the temple on his own. However, Kanan seems to catch up with him later, and both encounter the Inquisitor. Kanan is seemingly killed and dropped off a cliff. Ezra attempts to use Kanan's lightsaber against the Inquisitor and it fails. With no other options, Ezra jumps off the cliff himself.
Ezra suddenly finds himself back aboard the Ghost, overhearing the crew talk rather unfavorably about him. It occurs to him that something isn't right, further elaborated when the Inquisitor shows up again and seems to kill everyone out of sight of the viewer. Ezra runs and finds himself back at the temple, and is able to figure out for himself that this is all an illusion, and yet the Inquisitor remains. He overcomes his own fear, and the Inquisitor's lightsaber passes through him.
And now for the most noteworthy aspect of this episode: Yoda. Rather than whoever portrayed him in The Clone Wars, he is once again voiced by Frank Oz. He doesn't appear, but his voice echoes throughout the temple. He's likely projecting himself from his home on Degobah. He talks to Kanan, who talks about his own insecurities over whether he's training Ezra correctly or if he's even capable of doing so. He guides Ezra through the temple, who explains how despite wanting revenge against the Empire for everything they've done to him and his parents, he wants to become a Jedi out of a genuine desire to help people. He's spent his whole life looking out for himself and only himself, but meeting the other Rebels and seeing how they help others selflessly rubbed off on him and made him want to do the same. Yoda seems to approve and Ezra is given a Khyber Crystal.
The episode ends back on the Ghost, the crew has given Ezra as many spare parts as they could, allowing him to construct his own lightsaber. It's a traditional blue crystal, but the handle is unique with an extra feature on the hilt that might allow it to be used as a blaster, although this remains to be seen.
The music is a nice step up too, with familiar New Hope cues perfectly complementing the mysterious and spiritual atmosphere of the Jedi Temple, and the uplifting moment when Ezra first ignites his own brand new lightsaber. Put all of this with some good character development for our protagonist and his Jedi Master, and this definitely an episode worth watching.
When we last left the crew of the Ghost, they had rescued an Imperial defector and helped him into hiding. Kanan and Ezra aided in their escape by diverting the Empire's attention to an abandoned Clone base on an asteroid, where a large batch of feral creatures could take on the Stormtroopers. This worked pretty well until the Inquisitor showed up, fighting his way through the creatures and taking on Kanan. Ezra managed to save him, angrily using the Force to control one of the larger creatures and sic him on the Inquisitor, which would seem to indicate prowess in the Dark Side. This has significantly spooked both Kanan and Ezra...
Concerned after what happened on the asteroid, Kanan decides to give Ezra a test to determine not only what kind of Jedi he'll be, but also if he can be a Jedi at all. There's an abandoned temple already on Lothal, which Kanan has Ezra locate using the Force. (The autopilot was already on its way there.) The entrance is sealed and can only be opened with a Force lift, something Ezra and Kanan do together. Once their inside, Ezra's spooked by the remains of two dead Jedi, and the exit closes behind them. While Kanan stays behind in the main room to meditate, Ezra continues through the temple on his own. However, Kanan seems to catch up with him later, and both encounter the Inquisitor. Kanan is seemingly killed and dropped off a cliff. Ezra attempts to use Kanan's lightsaber against the Inquisitor and it fails. With no other options, Ezra jumps off the cliff himself.
Ezra suddenly finds himself back aboard the Ghost, overhearing the crew talk rather unfavorably about him. It occurs to him that something isn't right, further elaborated when the Inquisitor shows up again and seems to kill everyone out of sight of the viewer. Ezra runs and finds himself back at the temple, and is able to figure out for himself that this is all an illusion, and yet the Inquisitor remains. He overcomes his own fear, and the Inquisitor's lightsaber passes through him.
And now for the most noteworthy aspect of this episode: Yoda. Rather than whoever portrayed him in The Clone Wars, he is once again voiced by Frank Oz. He doesn't appear, but his voice echoes throughout the temple. He's likely projecting himself from his home on Degobah. He talks to Kanan, who talks about his own insecurities over whether he's training Ezra correctly or if he's even capable of doing so. He guides Ezra through the temple, who explains how despite wanting revenge against the Empire for everything they've done to him and his parents, he wants to become a Jedi out of a genuine desire to help people. He's spent his whole life looking out for himself and only himself, but meeting the other Rebels and seeing how they help others selflessly rubbed off on him and made him want to do the same. Yoda seems to approve and Ezra is given a Khyber Crystal.
The episode ends back on the Ghost, the crew has given Ezra as many spare parts as they could, allowing him to construct his own lightsaber. It's a traditional blue crystal, but the handle is unique with an extra feature on the hilt that might allow it to be used as a blaster, although this remains to be seen.
The music is a nice step up too, with familiar New Hope cues perfectly complementing the mysterious and spiritual atmosphere of the Jedi Temple, and the uplifting moment when Ezra first ignites his own brand new lightsaber. Put all of this with some good character development for our protagonist and his Jedi Master, and this definitely an episode worth watching.
Agent Carter- Now Is Not The End/Bridge And Tunnel
It's 1946. World War II has come to an end. Despite her exemplary service record, Agent Peggy Carter is stuck working a desk job at SSR, the agency that would eventually grow into SHIELD. Millionaire industrialist Howard Stark has been accused of treason, selling weapons to the enemy. Stark reveals to Peggy that some of his inventions had been stolen; creations he couldn't help but making, but he deemed to dangerous to sell. He makes his way out of the states, asking for her help in clearing his name. Stark entrusted his butler, Edwin Jarvis, to assist Carter in whatever way he can. The two have a sort of Steed/Peel dynamic, and it's good that she has another character to interact with regularly, and the fact that it's the same man who voices Tony's own JARVIS is appreciated.
These episodes concern a chemical Stark thought up, which has been mass produced and weaponized into an implosive device. (Once it's done blowing up, it blows in.) Agent Carter has to stay one step ahead of her SSR colleagues in order to cover her own tracks as well as prove Stark's innocence, since her actions are not yet authorized by her superiors.
There's a lot to like here. Whereas Agents Of SHIELD has a clear ensemble cast and team dynamic, Agent Carter focuses on a single protagonist, and she's a very good one. The era-accurate stigma of women struggling to be taken seriously in their professions is front and center throughout. Carter deals with it every day. A fellow agent, Daniel Sousa, got his leg crippled in the war, and is able to relate to her on some level. It's nice that she has at least one co-worker who she can call a friend, but even she asks him not to defend her when he calls the other agents out on their chauvinism. She was appreciative, but she can handle it herself. Peggy also has some nice scenes with Angie Martinelli, an attractive young waitress and aspiring actress who becomes her friend and neighbor. Peggy's roommate in the first part was a lovely seemingly hypochondriac blonde, and I would have loved to see that dynamic develop more. Unfortunately, some thugs break into their apartment while Carter was disarming one of the afformentioned implosive grenades, and gets killed. This event gives Peggy reasons to keep Angie at arm's length, but she nonetheless takes up a room in the same apartment building.
There's a wonderful musical score throughout, full of jazzy brass sounds befitting the era. I can't think of much else to say about it other than I liked it. The costumes are great too. Hayley Atwell goes through several different wardrobe changes during these episodes alone, and looks amazing in all of them. Particularly of note is her blonde bombshell look when she's infiltrating the night club. When she has to, she can put on a near perfect American accent as well.
The old spy tech is a real treat too. I've seen a few articles on the gadgets that Cold War spies had at their disposal, and Agent Carter comes close to replicating that. Another nice aspect is the lingering presence of Captain America. Although Steve Rogers crashed into the arctic and is presumed dead, memories of him still linger in Peggy's thoughts. We're also regularly treated to excerpts from the Captain America radio show, which is intentionally and delightfully camp. There's a great scene where Carter's beating up a bad guy while the radio show has Cap taking on a Nazi, the two actions matching up blow for blow.
Although it's unlikely that Howard Stark is the traitor he's been branded as, he does seem to have something to hide, as a phone call between him and Jarvis would indicate. He needs her for some other purpose, but we don't know what it is yet. I certainly look forward to finding out.
These episodes concern a chemical Stark thought up, which has been mass produced and weaponized into an implosive device. (Once it's done blowing up, it blows in.) Agent Carter has to stay one step ahead of her SSR colleagues in order to cover her own tracks as well as prove Stark's innocence, since her actions are not yet authorized by her superiors.
There's a lot to like here. Whereas Agents Of SHIELD has a clear ensemble cast and team dynamic, Agent Carter focuses on a single protagonist, and she's a very good one. The era-accurate stigma of women struggling to be taken seriously in their professions is front and center throughout. Carter deals with it every day. A fellow agent, Daniel Sousa, got his leg crippled in the war, and is able to relate to her on some level. It's nice that she has at least one co-worker who she can call a friend, but even she asks him not to defend her when he calls the other agents out on their chauvinism. She was appreciative, but she can handle it herself. Peggy also has some nice scenes with Angie Martinelli, an attractive young waitress and aspiring actress who becomes her friend and neighbor. Peggy's roommate in the first part was a lovely seemingly hypochondriac blonde, and I would have loved to see that dynamic develop more. Unfortunately, some thugs break into their apartment while Carter was disarming one of the afformentioned implosive grenades, and gets killed. This event gives Peggy reasons to keep Angie at arm's length, but she nonetheless takes up a room in the same apartment building.
There's a wonderful musical score throughout, full of jazzy brass sounds befitting the era. I can't think of much else to say about it other than I liked it. The costumes are great too. Hayley Atwell goes through several different wardrobe changes during these episodes alone, and looks amazing in all of them. Particularly of note is her blonde bombshell look when she's infiltrating the night club. When she has to, she can put on a near perfect American accent as well.
The old spy tech is a real treat too. I've seen a few articles on the gadgets that Cold War spies had at their disposal, and Agent Carter comes close to replicating that. Another nice aspect is the lingering presence of Captain America. Although Steve Rogers crashed into the arctic and is presumed dead, memories of him still linger in Peggy's thoughts. We're also regularly treated to excerpts from the Captain America radio show, which is intentionally and delightfully camp. There's a great scene where Carter's beating up a bad guy while the radio show has Cap taking on a Nazi, the two actions matching up blow for blow.
Although it's unlikely that Howard Stark is the traitor he's been branded as, he does seem to have something to hide, as a phone call between him and Jarvis would indicate. He needs her for some other purpose, but we don't know what it is yet. I certainly look forward to finding out.
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